POST CHICAGO

Mk,

It is a given that KG would have made a difference.

The point is Chicago has been motivated due to their big man being down for 2 months and are more united in their play. That is where the Celtics were for the their past 4 game win streak but not at Chicago that night. They had the motivation to win the game playing a top team, and they had rest from an easy game the night before. They just blew it with a less then team effort.

These games mean a lot because it sets an underlying psychological tone as play-off near. When teams feel like they have finally reached a point of overthrowing the king of the hill, that's where it gets dangerous....because they think they can win!

112288

112288,

I think it's more of a psychological tone for younger teams than more experienced teams. The veterans (at least the savvy ones) know the pitfalls of getting either too up or too down.

Because, if a young team should happen to beat a veteran team, even decisively, getting high often has just one result. The veteran teams says to itself, "Oh yeah?" And makes it a point to beat the younger team the next time out.

So now the younger team has a terrible fall from being overly high to being disillusioned. And they may wind up psychologically worse off than when they started.

Sam

112288 wrote:Mk,
It is a given that KG would have made a difference.

The point is Chicago has been motivated due to their big man being down for 2 months and are more united in their play. That is where the Celtics were for the their past 4 game win streak but not at Chicago that night. They had the motivation to win the game playing a top team, and they had rest from an easy game the night before. They just blew it with a less then team effort.

These games mean a lot because it sets an underlying psychological tone as play-off near. When teams feel like they have finally reached a point of overthrowing the king of the hill, that's where it gets dangerous....because they think they can win!

112288

Sorry man, I completely disagree with your analysis.

The Celtics to a man (i.e. as a team) were slow in their rotations, were lackadaisical in their execution, and basically sleepwalked through the game on Saturday. Even having said that, they were in the game until the last few minutes….so even with a lackluster effort, an inspired finish (something KG excels as inspiring in his teammates) would have won them the game. This game was very much like the Minnesota game – except Chicago has superior talent to the Wolves. Had nothing to do with a lack of team concept….it had everything to do with being tired and playing that way.

As for a game in January being some kind of playoff test – I have no ideas where you are going with this. The Celtics are in the middle of a grueling 3 week stretch that is sure to expose their age and the fact that they are playing without 2 starters and a major bench contributor.

If you think that anyone on the Celtics is going to give Saturday Nights game a second thought come playoff time – you are sadly mistaken.

Let's us just say that we agree that we disagree!

112288

I understand Sam's continuity/discontinuity argument. However, virtually all teams have to deal with it, usually due to injuries, sometimes due to trades or other roster changes. The bigger question in my mind isn't whether discontinuity occurs but rather how well a team adapts to it as it inevitably occurs.

To me, the shining example of a team that adapts as well as possible is Portland. Last season, they lost:

-- Starting center (Oden) and his backup (Przybilla) to season-ending injuries

-- Starting small forward Nicolas Batum for over half the season

-- Starting shooting guard Brandon Roy for 17 regular season games and virtually all of the playoffs

-- Sub Travis Outlaw for all but 11 games to foot surgery

-- Rookie pick Patrick Mills to a broken foot

-- Sub Rudy Fernandez for 20 games to a back injury

As if that wasn't enough, coach Nate McMillan tore his Achilles in practice when scrimmaging because they didn't have ten healthy players. Despite all that, plus integrating new players added to the roster as replacements, they were 50-32 last season, the same record as the Celtics, Thunder, and Spurs. And they are 20-18 this season.

The Magic are another team that comes to mind. They have responded well and quickly to the wholesale roster changes they made in December.

The point is, numerous teams have to deal with discontinuity. Due to the nature of their roster, I'd expect that the Celtics will have to deal with it most of the season. If they're lucky (aided by skillful management by Doc and his staff), they'll enter the playoffs healthy and have continuity. However, I think their ability to deal effectively with discontinuity is far more important than hoping the planets align and continuity arrives, and they'll be best served if they can deal with discontinuity and still play consistently at an elite level. Given their record, I'd say they're doing well in that department.

Outside

Outside,

Good observation and deduction Old Chap!

112288

Outside,

There's no doubt that discontinuity is a factor with all teams. But it's a matter of degree as to how each team is affected.

• Many teams depend more on physical attributes (athleticism, crashing the offensive boards, etc.) more than on finely tuned teamwork like the Celtics do. They do not require such great adjustments to arrivals and departures.

• A few teams, like San Antonio, are more susceptible to discontinuity. But, last time I checked, the Spurs had started the same five players in every game this season. (I think they're the ones.)

• Some teams, such as Portland have had serious losses of long duration. That kind of loss can deprive the team of an important player; but the goodnews is that the very length of the loss ironically allows the team plenty of time to adjust. There has been one instance of discontinuity over a long stretch. If a player is out for one game and returns the next game, that's two instances of discontinuity over a two-game period. (This is just a mathematical example, and things don't necessarily happen that neatly. For example, it matters how important the respective injured players are. But the principle is established.

• The schedule can either exacerbate or ameliorate continuity, depending on its impact on practices time. It has been very detrimental to the Celtics in this recent stretch.

It's obviously not the only factor. For example, I think the Celtics are a dispirited bunch right now—and probably the Lakers were a couple of weeks ago. But it is far more of a factor for the Celtics than many of the teams they play.

Sam